Abstract: A modular, wheeled vehicle suitable for military use, includes a driver module having a width for seating one person and having length for seating a second (and optional third) person therebehind, and an engine module disposed behind the driver module containing an engine for powering the modular vehicle. The engine module has a rear surface adapted to receive a storage module. The driver module and the engine module form a central element having a pair of sides, a bottom, and a top. The central element is adapted to receive the modules on both of the central element sides. The central element has air inlet for personnel and for the engine disposed atop the central element. The bottom of the central element and troop side pods generally are V-shaped with slanted, upward extending sides.

Abstract: A modular, wheeled vehicle suitable for military use, includes a driver module having a width for seating one person and having length for seating a second (and optional third) person therebehind, and an engine module disposed behind the driver module containing an engine for powering the modular vehicle. The engine module has a rear surface adapted to receive a storage module. The driver module and the engine module form a central element having a pair of sides, a bottom, and a top. The central element is adapted to receive the modules on both of the central element sides. The central element has air inlet for personnel and for the engine disposed atop the central element. The bottom of the central element and troop side pods generally are V-shaped with slanted, upward extending sides.

Abstract: An armored land vehicle comprising a first hull portion and an engine compartment which form a central chassis (CC) adapted to receive second hull portions on both sides and the rear of the CC. The CC and hull portions have generally V-shaped undersides with slanted, upwardly extending sides to create multiple blast venting paths to deflect blast energy away from the vehicle occupants. These blast paths comprise one or more blast vents through the vehicle for further reducing occupant exposure to blast energy. The engine compartment and front and rear tractive units can comprise an open framework, allowing significant under vehicle blast venting between the hull portions, through the engine compartment, and around the hull portions, thereby increasing survivability of the crew. The hull portions can be designed to rotate and/or be frangible to increase the blast-venting through the vehicle.

Abstract: A modular, wheeled vehicle suitable for military use, includes a driver module having a width for seating one person and having length for seating a second (and optional third) person therebehind, and an engine module disposed behind the driver module containing an engine for powering the modular vehicle. The engine module has a rear surface adapted to receive a storage module. The driver module and the engine module form a central element having a pair of sides, a bottom, and a top. The central element is adapted to receive the modules on both of the central element sides. The central element has air inlet for personnel and for the engine disposed atop the central element. The bottom of the central element and troop side pods generally are V-shaped with slanted, upward extending sides.

Abstract: A modular, wheeled vehicle suitable for military use, includes a driver module having a width for seating one person and having length for seating a second (and optional third) person therebehind, and an engine module disposed behind the driver module containing an engine for powering the modular vehicle. The engine module has a rear surface adapted to receive a storage module. The driver module and the engine module form a central element having a pair of sides, a bottom, and a top. The central element is adapted to receive the modules on both of the central element sides. The central element has air inlet for personnel and for the engine disposed atop the central element. The bottom of the central element and troop side pods generally are V-shaped with slanted, upward extending sides.

Abstract: A modular, wheeled military vehicle includes a driver module, an engine module, which form a central chassis module (CCM) that is adapted to receive the multipurpose pods on both sides and the rear of the CCM. The CCM and pods are generally V-shaped with slanted, upward extending sides to create multiple blast venting paths to deflect blast energy away from the vehicle occupants. These blast paths could consist of one or more chimneys through the vehicle further reducing occupant exposure to blast energy. For example, the engine module, and front and rear tractive units, can be manufactured with an open framework, allowing significant under vehicle blast venting between the modules and pods, through the engine module, and forward, rearward and to the sides of the vehicle; thereby increasing survivability of the crew. The pods can be designed to rotate and/or be frangible to increase the blast-venting path through the vehicle.

Abstract: A modular, wheeled vehicle suitable for military use, includes a driver module having a width for seating one person and having length for seating a second (and optional third) person therebehind, and an engine module disposed behind the driver module containing an engine for powering the modular vehicle. The engine module has a rear surface adapted to receive a storage module. The driver module and the engine module form a central element having a pair of sides, a bottom, and a top. The central element is adapted to receive the modules on both of the central element sides. The central element has air inlet for personnel and for the engine disposed atop the central element. The bottom of the central element and troop side pods generally are V-shaped with slanted, upward extending sides.

Abstract: A method for measuring road surface friction of a road surface uses a vehicle that moves across the road surface wherein (1) an auxiliary independent wheel assembly is towed behind the vehicle and is in contact with the road surface, an auxiliary wheel of the wheel assembly is freely rotatable by movement of the vehicle and is one or more of toed in or toed out with respect to a direction of travel of the vehicle so as to create an isolated axial force on the auxiliary wheel: (2) the axial force on the auxiliary wheel is measured while the vehicle moves across the road surface, and the measured axial force is correlated with the road surface friction. The independent wheel assembly is load isolated from the weight of the towing vehicle and the independent wheel assembly is loaded by placing ballast thereon.

Abstract: A modular, wheeled vehicle suitable for military use, includes a driver module having a width for seating one person and having length for seating a second (and optional third) person therebehind, and an engine module disposed behind the driver module containing an engine for powering the modular vehicle. The engine module has a rear surface adapted to receive a storage module. The driver module and the engine module form a central element having a pair of sides, a bottom, and a top. The central element is adapted to receive the modules on both of the central element sides. The central element has air inlet for personnel and for the engine disposed atop the central element. The bottom of the central element and troop side pods generally are V-shaped with slanted, upward extending sides.

Abstract: A method for measuring road surface friction of a road surface uses a vehicle that moves across the road surface wherein (1) an auxiliary independent wheel assembly is towed behind the vehicle and is in contact with the road surface, an auxiliary wheel of the wheel assembly is freely rotatable by movement of the vehicle and is one or more of toed in or toed out with respect to a direction of travel of the vehicle so as to create an isolated axial force on the auxiliary wheel: (2) the axial force on the auxiliary wheel is measured while the vehicle moves across the road surface, and the measured axial force is correlated with the road surface friction. The independent wheel assembly is load isolated from the weight of the towing vehicle and the independent wheel assembly is loaded by placing ballast thereon.

Abstract: A method for measuring-road surface friction of a road surface uses a vehicle that moves across the road surface wherein (1) an auxiliary independent wheel assembly is towed behind the vehicle and is in contact with the road surface, an auxiliary wheel of the wheel assembly is freely rotatable by movement of the vehicle and is one or more of toed in or toed out with respect to a direction of travel of the vehicle so as to create an isolated axial force on the auxiliary wheel: (2) the axial force on the auxiliary wheel is measured while the vehicle moves across the road surface, and the measured axial force is correlated with the road surface friction. The independent wheel assembly is load isolated from the weight of the towing vehicle and the independent wheel assembly is loaded by placing ballast thereon.

Abstract: A method for measuring road surface friction of a road surface uses a vehicle that moves across the road surface. An auxiliary independent wheel is interposed between the vehicle and the road surface. The auxiliary wheel is freely rotatable by movement of the vehicle and is toed in (skewed) with respect to a direction of travel of the vehicle so as to create an axial force on the auxiliary wheel. The axial force on the auxiliary wheel is isolated and measured while the vehicle moves across the road surface. The measured axial force is correlated with the road surface friction.

Abstract: A method for measuring road surface friction of a road surface uses a vehicle that moves across the road surface. An auxiliary independent wheel is interposed between the vehicle and the road surface. The auxiliary wheel is freely rotatable by movement of the vehicle and is toed in (skewed) with respect to a direction of travel of the vehicle so as to create an axial force on the auxiliary wheel. The axial force on the auxiliary wheel is isolated and measured while the vehicle moves across the road surface. The measured axial force is correlated with the road surface friction.

Abstract: The axial or grip force between at least one wheel of a vehicle and a ground surface, wherein the wheel is mounted on an upright and carried by an axle, is directly measured. The axle is radially supported in the upright by roller bearings. The lateral load is supported by the use of thrust bearings. Disposed between the axle lateral thrust bearing assembly and the upright is a force sensor. The force sensor directly registers axial force on the axle with respect to the upright. Lateral (or axial) output force signals from the force sensor can be sent directly to a readout device or can be sent to a processor, for example, for treatment. Such a design results in isolating the axial or lateral force vector placed on the axle, which carries the wheel and tire assembly, and, thus, the directly measuring the grip force of the tire.

Abstract: Determination is made of the amount of liquid housed within a vessel subject to intermittent dynamic forces wherein the liquid in the vessel may be being discharged intermittently. The fluid in the vessel has a liquid level above which is a vessel headspace. A sensing tube of substantially less volume than the vessel is provided. This tube also is subject to the intermittent dynamic forces. The tube has tube headspace that is held at the same pressure as the vessel headspace, e.g., atmospheric pressure. The sensing tube is fitted with a sensor assembly for measuring the level of liquid therein. The tube is in fluid communication with the vessel through an orifice in the vessel whereby the fluid level in the vessel is the same as the fluid level in the tube. The size of the orifice is such that the tube fluid level measured by the sensor assembly is substantially unaffected by the intermittent dynamic forces.

Abstract: The invention is a system for measuring the thrust (and, optionally, radial) loads placed on a support thrust bearing assembly that supports a rotating shaft in an apparatus. The system includes an apparatus housing and a load isolation member that supports the support thrust bearing. The load isolation member is not in contact with the apparatus housing. A force sensor is disposed between the apparatus housing and the load isolation member such that axial loads, and optionally radial loads, are permitted to be transmitted by the load isolation member from the support thrust bearing assembly and are measured continuously by the sensor. The corresponding method for measuring the axial load placed on a support thrust bearing assembly that supports a rotating shaft in an apparatus includes providing an apparatus housing and a load isolation member supporting the support thrust bearing. The load isolation member is disposed such that it is not in contact with the apparatus housing.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for measuring the grip performance of a vehicle by interposing a load carrier member intermediate an upright and an axle. The load carrier member is configured as having a geometry for measurement of a magnitude and relative direction of the instantaneous load forces acting between the axle and the upright and includes a planetary bearing carrier received coaxially over the axle for linear movement therewith. The bearing carrier extends from an outboard first end to an inboard second end configured to define a force transmitting portion. A rotational bearing assembly is interposed between the bearing carrier and the axle providing for the rotation of the axle within the bearing carrier. A first linear bearing assembly is interposed between the upright and the bearing carrier providing for the linear movement of the bearing carrier relative to the upright.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for measuring the grip performance of a vehicle through relation to a lumped-sum parameter derived from force and displacement measurements taken from selected elements forming the suspension of the vehicle. For at least one wheel of the vehicle, the magnitude and relative direction of the instantaneous load force vector acting on each support member thereof are measured. The load force vectors are resolved with respect to a relative plane into a first load force component, a second load force component normal to said first component, and a third load force component normal to said first and said second component. The load force components then are related to a common reference plane to derive normalized load force components, which normalized components then are summed to derive total normalized first, second, and third load force components which correspond to the instantaneous grip force developed between the wheel of the vehicle and the ground surface.